WARBLERS 285 



it is not rare. Its secretive habits effectively conceal it from 

 all but the most persistent observers. Perched motionless in 

 some thick tangle of vines in the depths of the swamp, it pours 

 forth its rich, though simple, song for many minutes at a time, 

 but its dull-brown coloration harmonizes so well with its sur- 

 roundings that it is one of the most difficult of all birds to 

 locate. The song resembles in tone quality and form that of 

 the Louisiana water-thrush, but is shorter and less vigorous. 

 It opens with three slurred phrases on the same pitch, and 

 closes with two shorter notes on a slightly lower pitch. It also 

 closely resembles certain songs of the hooded warbler, which 

 fact makes it doubly difficult to identify with certainty. 



Food habits. — Four stomachs of this bird from Alabama 

 contained remains of caterpillars, spiders, and Hymenoptera 

 (ants, bees, etc.). 



WORM-EATING WARBLER : Helmitheros vermivorus 



(Gmelin) . 



State records. — The worm-eating warbler occurs as a com- 

 mon migrant, apparently more abundant in fall, and as a rare 

 and local breeder in the northern part of the State. It has 

 been observed at Shelby, May 27 and 31, 1898 ; Ardell, June 

 25, 1913; Sipsey Fork near Mellville, May 1, 1914; and Nat- 

 ural Bridge, July 19, 1913, at all which places it probably 

 breeds. Golsan took a specimen at Autaugaville, September 

 18, 1915, and Dr. Avery took several at Greensboro in August 

 and September. 



Migrants from the south were noted at HoUins, April 21 

 (1908); Leighton, April 22 (1914); Oakchia, April 23 

 (1912) ; and Barachias, April 24 (1912) and May 1 (1913). 

 McCormack found the species rather common in fall migra- 

 tion at Leighton, frequenting swamps. The first migrant 

 (in 1889) was noted July 19; the next on August 5, after 

 which they increased in numbers till the 15th, then decreased 

 until September 9.* Dr. Avery observed the bird at Greens- 

 boro only during the autumn migrations, between August 9 

 and September 19. The only breeding record for the State is 



♦McCormack, F. W., Ornith. and Ool., vol. 15, p. 125, 1890. 



